Photographic printer



June 18, 1929. c, ERlKsEN PHOTOGRAPHIQ PRINTER Filed Oct. 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 18, 1929. c. A. ERIKSEN 1 PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER Filed Oct. 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet s 16 J; ,8 14 Fm 5 1 June 18, 1929. c. A. ERIKSEN 1,717,879

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER Filed 001;. 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES A. ERIKSEN, F BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER.

Application filed October 28, 1925.

This invention relates to photographic printers for commercial and amateur use.

The principal objects of the invention are:

Firstly, to provide a machine which is particularly easy to operate and wherein the operations of inserting and. removing a film and print are not hampered by the presence of obstructions and wherein these operations are not accompanied with the danger of get ting the fingers caught by the operating parts.

Secondly, to provide a machine of this kind wherein the film-holding and printholding parts are arranged so that righthanded and hence speedier operation is possible.

Thirdly to provide a printer wherein the film is held securely in any desired position but may be adjusted as in the case of a roll film to advance successive exposures to the printing panel, and also wherein the print is accurately located and then firmly held against displacement and finally pressed r into even contact with the film during exposure, the operations all the while being under the absolute control of the operator so that prints wont be spoiled.

Fourthly, to provide a. printer the masks of which have parts slidably received in recesses in the printing top foradjustment and thus form no obstruction on the printing top but lie flush therewith over the printing or exposure panel so that prints 7 can be placed in or removed from the machine without any fumbling, and

Fifthly, to provide a printer having a print holding pad for gripping the print at the extreme edge to keep the same in exact register just as it is placed by hand in the machine, the same being pivotally mounted on the film holding pad and having a lost motion connection with the platen so as to grip the print before the platenis brought down and after it has been raised, the print holding pad being suitably provided with meansKvhereby to raise the print ofi' the film after exposure to facilitate removing the print and thereby avoid vexation and delay in operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be brought out in the course of the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1., is a side view partly in vertical Serial No. 65,272.

section of a photographic printer of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on a slightly en larged scale of a portion of the printing top illustrating the film and print-holding pads andthe platen all in operative position; I Fig. 3 is a similar view of the film-holdng pad and the printing masks illustrated 1n operative relation to the printing or exposure panel, the platen being removed to inoperative position and the print-holding padbemg broken away as illustrated;

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional detail on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1- 1 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the platen and the printing or exposure panel inoperative relation to each other with the prmting masks appearing in section therebetween;

Fig. 6 is a similar section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is an under side View of the print marker, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the printing top showing to best advantage the relative disposition of the parts of the printer.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts.

The printing machine comprises the usual printing top 8 on a stand or desk at which the operator sits. A plate 9 is set in a depression 10 in the top 8 to be flush therewith and has a light opening 11 over a box 12 containing the white exposure lights 13. A printing or exposure panel or plate 14 of frosted glass is mounted in the opening 11 on leaf springs 15 secured as by means of screws 16 to the under side of the plate 9. These springs normally hold the panel 1 1 raised from the plane of the printing top and the springs accommodate any uneveness to maintain the film and print in snug, even contact for exposure. A pair of masks 17 and 18 of thin sheet metal are provided for the panel let and extend across the same and are adjustable the length of two adjacent sides of the panel to vary the size of an exposure opening 19 to accommodate different sized prints. The masks slide freely on one another and have down-turned ends 20 extending into suitable recesses in the printing top, in this instance the space between the panel 1.4; and the plate 9 in. the light opening 11. As most clearly indicated in Fig. 5, the down-turned ends 20 are bent upon themselves twice to provide resilient tongues 21 to bear frictionally against the side of the light opening 11 to hold the masks firmly yet adjustably in any position to which they may be moved. If desired, the masks 17 and 18 may be provided with location holes 22 and 23, respectively, which will'serve to identify the proper relative positions of the masks for different standard sized prints. he operator is ordinarily sufliciently familiar with the approximate sizes of standard prints and will shift the masks quickly to secure approximately the desired exposure opening 19 but will know definitely when the exact location of the mask is reached by the fact that the holes 22 and 23 will come into register. The light of the pilot lamp in the box 12 (not shown) will aid in positioning the masks as the light will appear through the registering holes in the proper relative positions of the masks. From the description thus far it will appear that the printing top 8 is clear of any cumbersome mask holders and the like which may be found on all present day printers and which constitute obstructions making it awkward to insert and accurately posit-ion a film or print in the machine as Well as toremove prints with any dispatch. A particular advantage of the flush arrangement secured by my construction, is that a roll film can'be laid across the printing top without encountering any obstructions and may be adjusted step by step to advance successive exposures to the printing panel and prints can be put in and taken out with the greatest ease. The masks are accurately positioned without any need for complicated and cumbersome brackets and arms found in all printers heretofore available by virtue of the novel construction illustrated and described.

The film is held in position over the panel 14: by a pad 241-. This pad is in the form of a T-shaped plate, as indicated most clearly in Figs. 2and 3, and has a light narrow 'metal strip 25 along the one cross arm thereof and a similar strip 26 on the adjacent side of the leg 27 thereof. These strips as indicated in- Figs. at and 8, are bent in the form of an angle to be held by cleats 28 and screws 29 to the pad 2 1- and to provideresilient horizontal lips to engage the length and width of the film on two adjacent sides thereof to hold the same firmly in proper position over the panel 14. In previous types of printers, the film was held only a portion of the length at one side and usually only at one point on anadjacent side and there was no assurance that the film would not move when the platen was brought down upon it. Nor could the film beheld firmly against curling and considerable ingenuity and expert handling was required to keep a to move the film with the holding pad gripping the same. The pad 24: is hinged at 30 and 31 to the plate 9 and has a coiled torsion.

spring 32 acting between the pad 2% and the plate 9 normally to move the pad to 0perative position and hold the same firmly in such position. A link 33 is attached to the pad 24 and extends down to a treadle 34 beneath the stand or desk of the printing machine, to be operated by one foot of the operator, preferably theleft foot. he operator releases the pad 24 only when he desires to remove the film or, in the case of a roll film, desires to advance the film to the next exposure. Usually only light presure is placed on the treadle to raise the pad only sufficiently to release the pressure from the film so that it may be moved or removed as the case may be. In setting the film, it is brought into proper position with respect to the strips 25 and 26 and the foot is re moved from the treadle 34C and thereafter any number of prints may be made with definite assurance that the film will not curl or shift out of position if ordinary care is exercised.

The print is placed over the exposure opening 19 with the masks 17 and 18 defining the margins or borders on two adjacent sides and the strips 25 and 26 defining the margins on the remaining two adjacent sides. The operator places the print in the machine with hisright hand, there being no obstructions as above mentioned to his inserting the print in this manner. The print is held by a pad hinged to the leg 27 of the pad 24-, as indicated at 36. 'A torsion spring 37 on the pintle 38 of the hinges 36 serves normally to urge the pad 35 to operative position. The pad 35 is arranged to hold the print the length of the one sideover the strip 26 of the film-holding pad 2-l. The pad 35 is equipped with a plurality of suction cups 38, of rubber or theilike, set in depressions in the pad near the one end thereof. This is to enable gripping and holding the print that is placed over the film. Besides this, the cups serve to pick up the print and raise it clear of the film after the exposure, as will presently appear after the operation of the pad 313 is fully brougnt out. The print is easily grasped and removed and all vexation and delay in this matter are avoided. The cups, due to their location, never come in contact wita the film but will pick up all sizes of prints to good advantage. This provision makes for speedier operation. Felt or the like, shown at 39,

is-pr'ovided on the pad. to give substantially even contact between the print and the film throughout its length. The pad has a lost motion connect-ion with the platen 40, which is in effect the main pad for holding the print and film together in even contact during exposure. For this purpose, the platen 40 is also faced with a piece of soft felt 41. The connection between the pad and the platen is afforded by a link 42 pivoted at 43 to the pad and slotted lengthwise, as shown at 44, for the reception of a screw 45 on a frame 46 secured at opposite ends to the platen 40 as by means of screws 47. If desired, the frame 46 may be formed integral with the platen 40. In the operative position of the parts, the link 42 lies adjacent the frame 46 and out of the way, the pads 24 and 35 and the platen 40 all lying in substantially the same plane. The platen 40 is in the form of a plate substantially Ushaped, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2, with the leg 27 of the pad 24 and the pad 35 lying side by side between the arms of the U and having the frame 46 bridging the outer ends of the arms of the U. The platen 40 is hinged at 48 and 49 to the plate 9 and has a counter-weight 50 which serves normally to hold the platen in the inoperat-ive position shown in Fig. 1. If desired, a suitable spring or other device may be provided in place of the counter-weight for this purpose. A link 51 is attached to the platen 40 and extends down to a treadle 52 to the right of the treadle 34 to permit the operation of the platen to operative posit-ion by foot pressure supplied by the right foot of the operator. The lost motion connection afforded by the link 42 is such that the pad 35 moves down to holding position while the platen 40 is still raised to an appreciable extent away from the printing panel. The pad moves under the load of the spring 37 as it is permitted by the movement toward operative position of the platen 40 when pressure is applied to the treadle 52. The print after insertion over the exposure opening 19 is, therefore, gripped by the pad 35 somewhat before the platen 40 is brought down by further pressure. \Vhen the platen 40 is brought down upon the printing panel the rabbeted rear edge thereof overlies the rabbet-ed forward edge of the print holding pad as best appears in Fig. 4, and forces the same with it toward the printing panel to insure the application of about the same amount of pressure on the print at all points. In other words, the print holding pad does not haveto rely only on the spring 37, which might prove to be too light for best results. Ample time is left for the operator to withdraw his hand and there is no danger of pinching his fingers. In previous machines, the connection between the printholding pad and the platen was such as to allow only a small space between the pad in its holding position and the platen as it was brought down, and oftentimes the operator had his finger nails broken by clapping the platen down onto the print before he had an opportunity to withdraw his hand. When the platen reaches operative posit-ion, a contact 53 closes a circuit through the blades 54 which are in circuit with the white expo:: ure lights 13. The blades 54 are suitably insulated on a block provided on the printing top 8.

The prints are marked by a stamp 56 which is pivoted at 5'? in a pair of leaf springs 58 secured to the frame 46 as by means of screws 59. The stamp 56 has the usual number type 60 and letter type 61 to mark the prints with numbers and key let ters in the usual preferred manner. Adjacent the type 60 and 61 is a type bar 62 bearing a suitable legend identifying the photographer who makes the prints. The name on the bar 62 may be accompanied with the address of the maker and any advertising matter that he desires. The stamp projects through an opening 63 provided by register ing notches in the pad 35 and platen 40. Any suitable means, such as are commonly used for the numbering of a series as in the case of printing presses and the like, may be used in the present instance for oscillating the stamp 56 in its bearings and supplying ink to the type faces thereof. The type 60, 61 and 62 are all preferably of metal and there is used in connection with them an organic ink which has no deteriorating effect on the type and. which at the same time is not affected and washed off by the developing, fixing and washing solutions. IIeretofore, the majority of photographers used rubber type and, where an effort was made to secure ink which would not wash off in the process, there was the objection of the rubber type being affected.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a photographic printer of a highly improved construction which obviates many of the detrimental features of previous machines. A lso. the present ma chine is one which is handier to operate in that it provides for the easy remo *al of films and prints and for the aifljustment in the machine of a roll film for printing the successive exposures thereof. In no case is there any obstruction or awkward arrangement to encumber the operator using the machine, and all settings and adjustments are simple and easy to make.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a printing top having a light opening and an exposure panel there for, of a pair of masks extending across said panel and arranged for adjustment with respect thereto lengthwise and width pads,

wise thereof, said masks having down-turned ends extending into a space at the sides of the panel, the said ends having resilient portions bearing in the guides provided in said space to hold said masks frictionally in. adjusted position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a printing top having a light opening, a printing panel for said light opening, and means for resiliently mounting said panel in said opening to be raised normally slightly above the plane of the printing top but arranged to be depressed in the operation of printing, of a pair of masks extending in different directions across the panel and arranged for adjustment lengthwise of two adjacent sides, said masks having down-turned ends extending into spaces between the sides of the panel and the adjacent sides of the light opening, said down-turned ends providing resilient portions bearing frictionally in the guides provided in said spaces permitting adjustment of said panel in said opening without altering the position of said masks and the holding of said masks in any position of adjustment.

3. In a photographic printer, the combination of a printing panel, a bin gedly mounted film holding pad providing portions extending lengthwise and widthwise of the panel on two adjacent sides to hold a film placed therebeneath over the printing panel, a print holding pad hingedly mounted on the film holding pad and extending along one side of the panel to hold a print along one edge, a platen hingedly mounted in spaced relation to the print holding pad and independently of the latter for movement similar to the film holding pad, and means providing a lost motion connection between the platen and the print holding pad whereby the latter moves into and out of operative position in a predetermined timed rela tion to the operation of the platen, the platen being arranged to swing down into position alongside the print holding pad so as to serve with the latter to hold a print against a film over the printing panel.

4:. In a photographic printer, the combination of printing panel, a film holding pad formed with a right-angled notch eX- tending lengthwise and widthwise of the panel on two adjacent sides for holding a film placed .therebeneath over the printing panel, a print holding pad pivoted on the latter pad and extending lengthwise of one side or the notch in said pad for holding a print along one edge, a platen hingedly mount-ed at a point behind the last pad and entirely independently thereof arranged to be brought down upon said panel to hold a print and film in close contact over the panel while held by said film and print holding a lost pres".

for holding a film thercbeneath over thepanel on two adjacent edges of the film, means pivotally mounting sald pad, manually operable means for raising said pad to inoperative position, a platen having a portion arranged in the operative position of said platen to be brought down upon said panel over the remaining two adjacent edges of the film and a print placed over the same over said panel to hold the print and film together in close contact, means pivotally mounting said platen on the same axis as the film holding pad, manually operable means for'raising and lowering the same, a print holding pad pivotally mounted on said film holding pad at one edge of the right-angled portion thereof and arranged to lie between the film holding pad and said platen over a print and film therebeneath, and means providing a lost motion connection between said print holding pad and said platen whereby said pad is operated in a certain timed relation with the platen.

6. In a photographic printer, the combination with a printing panel and a means for holding a film thereon of a print holding pad hingedly mounted at one side of the printing panel for holding a print along one edge, a platen hingedlymounted behind and in spaced relation to the print holding pad and arranged to swing forward to a position in front of and immediately alongside the print holding pad to hold the print against the film in close contact over the printing panel, and means providing a lost motion connection between said platen and nection comprises a slotted link arranged to extend between the printholding pad and platen, said link being pivoted to one of said elements and having a sliding pivotal connection with the other of said elements.

8. In a photographic printer, a printing top having a printing panel substantially flush with the surface thereof, masks for the printing panel mounted for adjustment on the printing top, said masks lying substantially flush with the printing top, a film holding pad hinged at the back of the printing top whereby the atorward end thereof 1 respect to the printing panel for the introduction of a film therebeneath, said pad being cut out to provide at least two portions extending-along the rear and one side of the printing panel thereby leaving the front free of any obstruction for the placing or removal of prints, a narrow print holding pad. hingedly mounted on the film holding pad to extend lengthwise of the rear of the panel to grip the print by the edge thereof, spring means acting between the print holding pad and the film holding pad to urge the same toward print holding position, a platen hingedly mounted with the film holding pad at the rear of the printing top and arranged to swing forwardly and downwardly to a position immediately in front of the last mentioned pad over the printing panel, and means providing a lost motion connection between the platen and the last mentioned p 9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the film holding pad is normally urged toward operative position and wherein the platen is normally urged toward inoperative position, and manually operable means connected with the pad and platen respectively for raising the former when a film is to be placed in the printer or is to be adjusted and for lowering the latter when a print is to be exposed, the connection in both cases being made from below the plane of the printing top.

10. In a device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the printing panel is yieldingly supported in its opening in the printing top and normally occupies a slightly raised position, said panel being arranged to be depressed by the print holding pad and platen in the exposure of a print, one or more suction cups provided on the print holding pad and arranged in the depression of the panel to grip the print by the back thereof for the purpose described.

11. In a photographic printer, the combination with a printing top having a printing panel, of masks for the printing panel mounted for adjustment on the printing top in such a way as to lie substantially flush with the printing top and afford no obstruction, a film holding pad hinged at the rear of the printing top to permit raising and lowering the forward end thereof relative to the front of the printer for the introduction of a film tlierebencath, said pad being so formed that it provides only one portion at the left hand side of the printing panel to rest upon the end of the film and another portion at the rear of the printing panel to rest upon the edge of the film coining therebeneath, this form of pad permitting right .handed operation in the insertion of the film or adjustment thereof as well as in the placing and removing of prints, a narrow print holding pad hingedly mounted on the last mentioned portion of the film holding pad to extend lengthwise of the rear of the printing panel and overlie and grip a print by the edge thereof, spring means normally urging said print holding pad toward holding position, a platen hinged at the rear of the printing top like the film holding pad so that the forward end thereof is arranged to be raised and lowered with respect to the front of the printer for the placing and removal of prints, said. platen being arranged to fall immediately in front of the print holding pad over the printing panel, and means providing a lost motion operating connection between the platen and the last mentioned. pad.

12. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the platen has means thereon arranged in the swinging down of the platen into position alongside the print holding pad to force the latter with it toward snug engagement with the printing panel.

13. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the platen has means thereon arranged in. the movement of the platen into position in front of the print holding pad to force the pad with it toward snug engage; ment with the printing panel.

14. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the rear edge of the platen is rabbeted and arranged when the platen is brought down in front of the print holding pad to have said rabbeted edge overlie the front edge of the pad to force the same toward snug engagement with the printing panel.

In witness of the foregoing I aflix my signature.

CHARLES A. ERIKSEN. 

